The Whitefield Select Board hosts special town meeting at Whitefield Central Fire Station on Tuesday, June 21. (Alec Welsh photo)
Whitefield voters unanimously adopted a moratorium on commercial and community solar facilities during a special town meeting at the Whitefield Central Fire Station, Tuesday, June 21. Beginning immediately, the moratorium is effective for 180 days unless extended or ended early by the select board.
Including the election and swearing in of moderator Christopher Johnson, the hearing lasted five minutes. There were no questions or comments.
According to town officials, the moratorium was enacted in order to allow time for the town to study land use related to commercial or community solar energy facilities, and to develop regulations regarding, installing, operating, and decommissioning solar energy facilities.
The moratorium does not apply to a solar panel collection system or array individuals may want to install on private property for personal use.
The special town meeting was called after a similar moratorium was originally rejected by voters during the annual town meeting on March 19.
Whitefield board meeting
Immediately following the special town meeting the Whitefield Select Board held their regular bi-monthly meeting.
Heath Road resident Keith Radonis addressed the board about his concerns regarding planning board members Jennifer Grady and Kathy Dauphin. The concerns relate to a private dispute related to Radonis’ decision to gate a section of Weary Pond Road, a discontinued county road that crosses his property.
Recounting his side of the issue in some detail, Radonis suggested Grady and Dauphin had successfully sought election to Whitefield’s Planning Board in 2021 at least in part, to bring the board’s authority into the issue on their behalf. Radonis asked if Whitefield had a means of removing elected municipal officials from office.
“I am asking that they be removed from their duties as planning board members given, not just once incident, but the history of activity,” Radonis said.
Select Board Chair Lester Schaeffer told Radonis the town’s attorney has advised Whitefield has no means to remove an elected official. “At this point in time, the town doesn’t have a charter, nor do we have an ordinance for recalling elected officials,” Schaeffer said.
Pressed by Radonis if a state statue could apply, the select board agreed to ask the town attorney.
“I am assuming if we were able to go up to the state level and use state rules, that she (town lawyer) would have said something,” Schaeffer said. “We will talk to our lawyer and asked the question of her.”
Schaeffer advised Radonis board members with a conflict of interest with business before the board could be expected to recues themselves. If the matter were criminal violation, Schaeffer said charges could be brought.
In other business, the board agreed to extend a deadline for Clifford Wilson to clean up his property on Route 17. The property was under a court order to be cleaned up by July 1. After discussion the board agreed to extend the deadline until the board’s next meeting Tuesday July 5, inviting Wilson to meet with them on that date.
Schaeffer said he was not inclined to grant another extension.
